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FASTING UNTO DEATH ACCORDING TO THE JAINA TRADITION
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totally naked65_if it is certain that he can follow the rules perfectly, that he is tired of and detached from his physical individuality, 65a he undertakes one or the other of the three kinds of unlimited fasts.
The gāthās which describe them are elliptic, and difficult. 66 The main points are the following.
In the first kind of death,
[I] gā. 7. 'Whether in a village or in a forest, the muni shall examine the ground, and, knowing it to be free from living beings, he shall spread the straw 8. Without food, he shall lie down on it, and bear the pains which attack him ... He shall not, before the (right) time, go (among men)... 10. Animals attack his body: he shall not stir from his place. (II) 12. This other Law has been taught by Nāyaputta: (the muni) shall give up all motion, ... 15. (Exceptionnally,) he may move to and fro, contract and stretch his limbs to keep his body bound (with his soul); or he remains consciousless. ... 16. .... If tired from his ascetic posture, he may sit down ...
65 ib, 38, 13-19.
65 & ib, 38, 20 (cf. 37, 14-26, supra): 'se gilāmi ca khalu aham...' taņāim samtharetta ettha vi samae käyam ca jogam ca iriyam ca paccakkhāejjā.
6 Cf. Jacobi, translation, SBE 22, p. 74–78. It must be revised, following Schubring, Worte Mahāviras, 113-115. 67 7. gāme vā adu vā raņņe thandilam padilehiyā
appa-päņam tu vinnāya taņāim samthare muņi. 8. aņāhāro tuyaffejjā, puffho tatth' ahiyāsae,
najvelam uacare ... 10. pāņā deham vihimsanti-thāņão na viubbhame ..... 12. ayam se avare dhamme Nāyaputteņa sāhie:
... pādiyāram vijahejjā ... 15. abhikkame padikkame samkucae pasārae
käya-sähäran'atthāe, ettham vā vi aceyane. 16. ...
thāņeņa parikilante nisiejja ya ...... 19. ayam c'āyayatare siyā jo evam aņupälae:
savva-gāya-nirodhe vi fhāņão na viubbhame. 20. ayam se uttame dhamme puvva-ffhānassa paggahe ...
